1. Technological Field
The present invention relates to a dynamic image processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been attempts to utilize, for diagnosis, a dynamic image of a subject taken with a semiconductor image sensor, such as an FPD (Flat Panel Detector), instead of or in addition to a radiation (X-ray) still image of a subject taken with a film/screen or a photostimulable phosphor plate. More specifically, by making use of high responsivity of a semiconductor image sensor in reading/deleting image data, a dynamic state of a subject is imaged (photographed) by continuously emitting pulsed radiation from a radiation source in sync with timing of image reading/deletion by the semiconductor image sensor and performing imaging multiple times per second. A series of images obtained by the imaging are displayed in order, so that doctors can recognize a series of movements of the subject.
Further, it has been proposed to analyze a series of frame images obtained by dynamic imaging, thereby generating diagnostic support information, and provide the diagnostic support information to doctors for early diagnosis.
For example, there are described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-239796 generating diagnostic support information on breathing and diagnostic support information on perfusion on the basis of a dynamic chest image obtained by one dynamic imaging, and displaying the generated information.
By the way, a dynamic image is composed of a plurality of frame images. Hence, a necessary storage capacity per dynamic imaging (i.e. a necessary storage capacity to store a dynamic image) is larger than that to store a still image. For example, for dynamic chest images, the necessary storage capacity per dynamic imaging is about 1.5 GB. If analysis is performed about both ventilation and perfusion on the basis of a dynamic image as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-239796 and the analysis results are generated as moving images, the necessary storage capacity is three times as large as the above.
In general, a dynamic image(s) is compressed with a prescribed format (e.g. MPEG) and stored, but the compression amount is not enough. Further, each time a doctor performs re-interpretation of the dynamic image, he/she needs to retrieve and see all the frame images of the dynamic image and spends much time accordingly.